Our sages have already said, “You have not a generation without such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Indeed, that Godly man, Rav [teacher, great one] Isaac Luria [the ARI], troubled and provided us the fullest measure.

He did wondrously more than his predecessors, and if I had a tongue that praises, I would praise that day when his wisdom appeared almost as the day when the Torah was given to Israel (Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to the Book Panim Meirot uMasbirot”).

Indeed, the whole method of correction came to us from the ARI. He realized everything that had been laid down by all prior Kabbalists.

The soul of the ARI occupies such a place in the general system of souls that from it onward, the light begins to influence all souls, leading them to the final correction (Gmar Tikkun).

Before the ARI, all development took place at stages 0, 1, 2, 3, and only the ARI with his corrections in the system of souls entered into the 4th stage and began to build the authentic Malchut in its final form.

He is Sefira Yesod (the last one before Malchut), and he is therefore called Moshiach ben Yosef (Yosef means Sefira Yesod) after which Malchut begins to correct itself.

All prior souls were part of the souls of the preparation period of correction. And only starting with the ARI does the general awakening of all souls begin.

Of course, this process takes hundreds of years, but the ARI opened the way to the light from the previous three stages to the last, the fourth, and the correction has begun!

Moshiach is the revelation of the light in the general system of souls. This light enters Malchut through Yesod. The ARI opens the gates for the light and is therefore called Moshiach ben Yosef.

The Messiah is the force of correction. The ARI portrays this force running through his soul. Being in the general system, he makes corrections in his soul, and now light flows through it into Malchut and affects the souls.

But now, it is on us to prepare our souls for the ascent from Malchut to Bina. This process already relates to the correction of Malchut—Moshiach ben David.
[18628]
From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/5/10, Writings of Baal HaSulam Preface “Introduction to the Book Panim Meirot uMasbirot”

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Question: What is special about our implementation of the method of the ARI?

Answer: What is special is that within the connection between us, we strive to reveal the force called the ARI, the force that connects us and forms us into a single unified whole.

In doing so, we receive from the Creator what we are able to receive—a new, corrected state, a new desire.

The light that we draw reveals our souls in a single movement toward the Creator, and we feel the Creator as one single bright whole above us.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/29/25, “Memorial Day for the ARI”

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Question: In the corporeal world, we observe well-defined laws of development. The spiritual world also operates according to clear laws. So why during the period of preparation do we not find even a single law, not a single foothold? Even the concept of time becomes vague and undefined.

Answer: It is understandable that you do not yet understand where you are, like a newborn who has just come into the world. Your complaints about this lack of understanding are also understandable. The only thing that is not clear is: why don’t you understand that this is precisely the order of ascending spiritual degrees?

A child, from not knowing, will eventually come to understanding. The intermediate states in which we are unable to discern what is happening and are passing through blurry and vague sensations, these are exactly what indicate progress. Some things are unclear to us while others become more or less clear. There is no other way to grow. Even the clearest things in our world are far from being truly clear. And it is the same later in the spiritual world.

But there, we are talking about development. In our world, at the still, vegetative, and animate levels, there is no true development. We are merely scraping off layers from the nature of this world, revealing slightly more of the state we are already in. And even then, we are not really aware of it; we are just trying to fulfill ourselves a bit and end up even more empty. That is not called development.

Clarity and obviousness are an illusion. If it were truly clear to us what needs to be done, we would not have committed so many foolish actions up to now. On the contrary, it is foolish to think that we live in a world we understand. Not at all.

Rather, like infants and small children, we too are ruled by confused sensations; we do not understand what is happening, and are entangled in it. However, gradually, we begin to reveal the situation by making efforts and demanding understanding from a higher degree, from the upper force, so that It comes, fills us, and shines light for us.

This is the only possible form of advancement, the true process of spiritual growth. There is no other way.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/6/11, Writings of Rabash “Why Is Shabbat Called Shin-Bat in the Work?”

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Preparation to the Lesson

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1st part of the Lesson — Writings of Baal HaSulam, Shamati #39 “And They Sewed Fig Leaves” (10.30.2021)

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2nd part of the Lesson — Writings of Baal HaSulam, “Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah,” Item 73, 74 (7.16.2006)

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3rd part of the Lesson — Writings of Rabash, Article 7 “According to What Is Explained Concerning ‘Love Thy Friend as Thyself'” 1984

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4th part of the Lesson — Writings of Baal HaSulam, “Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” “The Donkey Driver”

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The measure of effort is determined by the number of entries and exits (ascents and descents), as it is written: “for out of Zion shall the Torah come forth” (from the descents–Yetsiot). The Creator throws a person off the path, and yet he stubbornly returns to his work and continues it. His advancement is built precisely from these descents, these exits.

A descent means that the Creator has added the desire to receive pleasure to a person and knocked him off the path. Nevertheless, the person returns to the path with this new egoistic desire, having no choice and shutting his eyes, “As an ox to the burden and as a donkey to the load.” In this way, he eventually accumulates a sufficient measure of desire and effort in studies and connection with the group in order to begin to feel where he is, whom he is dealing with, and how he can become included in this process.

He begins to realize how egoism is being added to him and pushes him off the path, and how despite everything, he holds on to the studies and the group. Although these states of complete numbness and lack of understanding are not easy, he gradually brings himself back to consciousness and experiences a renewed inspiration. And then, once again comes a hardening of the heart.

Thus, out of all these exits the Torah emerges. A person begins to understand that this is how the process must be, and that the main thing is to remain in adhesion with the Creator; and for this, he must adhere to the group.

This entire process is described in detail in the story of Passover, the Egyptian exile. The Torah does not speak of history or geography, but only about a person’s journey through the key stages of spiritual development: the transition from being under the rule of the desire to receive, his original egoistic nature, to a different nature, the desire to bestow. This marks a true birth into a new quality, into the spiritual world.

After that, the path no longer has such critical turning points. The greatest transformation is the exit from the egoistic intention to the intention to bestow.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/18/18, Writings of Rabash “Come unto Pharaoh – 1”

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All of our work is an ascent up a ladder where each next step is completely disconnected from the previous one. This structure of the ladder emerged during the descent from above downward when the Malchut of the upper became the Keter of the lower. The same happens in every transition from one state to another, even if it is not yet an ascent on spiritual levels.

This is a real revolution; it is a fundamental change that occurs in our matter, in its very foundation, that we cease to understand ourselves when we transition from one state to another. After all, all of these states consist of a change in the portion of light that awakens our desire to enjoy, and both the light and the desire give birth to a new degree, a new state.

And we are within this new degree, and we have nothing remaining from the previous state except for the informational gene (Reshimo) that has led to this new state. And this Reshimo is also hidden. It turns out that in a new spiritual state, nothing remains from the past.

We can already feel that this is how it happens even before entering the spiritual world. We must agree with all the states we pass through, and learn from them what a true spiritual transition really means when we step from one world into another. Each degree is a separate world.

The problem is that on every degree, two opposing forces act: the desire to receive and the desire to bestow, left and right lines that are opposite and contrary to each other, each with its own impure aspect (Klipa). And we must become the middle line that connects them both, rules over them, and stands above them.

The descent from above downward went like this: Hochma (on the right) → Bina (on the left) → Daat (below in the middle)—like an inverted triangle. But in the ascent from below upward, there is Hochma (on the right) → Bina (on the left) → Keter (above in the middle)—since we desire to rise. Keter is always the result of Hochma and Bina—mercy and overcoming, fear and love—and is always above them.

And therefore the problem always arises of how to combine the two opposites that negate each other, until a third one comes and reconciles them. This third component comes from above as the revelation of the Creator after a person sees that he is totally unable to reconcile the two opposites on his own.

Therefore, both in fear and in love, what is needed is devotion of the soul. And it is harder to attain it in fear than in love. After all, love already absorbs the soul, and they move in the same direction. If I love someone, I am devoted to him with all my soul and strive to unite. That is how we perceive it in our world, because we love what our desire to enjoy loves.

But in the spiritual world, I love someone who is hateful to my egoism, as it is written: “Love covers all transgressions.” It turns out that even in love, it is difficult to be devoted with all your soul. And in hatred, it seems impossible altogether.

To hate and yet be devoted to the soul means to use one’s receiving desires for the sake of bestowal. How can I unite with all the people I hate most in the world, who hate me, and shower them with all the good that I am capable of giving to my most beloved ones?

This can be done only for the sake of some higher goal that justifies everything else. But if the goal is the action itself, it seems completely impossible. That is, it requires a very difficult ascent above one’s own calculations.

And we gradually advance toward this, not by the shortest and most beautiful path of light, but by a slightly longer one, which includes suffering and is called “the path of the earth.” But in the end, we do reach the goal because every action we make draws the upper light, which reconciles the two conflicting sides.

Therefore, although slave-like devotion to the Creator is needed both in fear and in love, it appears in a mixed form until we rise to a state in which we unite everything. Then even in fear you will be able to be devoted with all your soul just as in love.
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From Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/26/12, Writings of Baal HaSulam “Devotion”

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Preparation to the Lesson

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1st part of the Lesson — Writings of Rabash, Article 24 “What is Unfounded Hatred in the Work?” (1987) (8.7.2022)

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2nd part of the Lesson — Writings of Rabash, Article 566 “Cast Their Seed Among the Nations”

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Our path is tied to the development of the desire for pleasure. Altogether we exist within this single, unified desire. The four phases of the expansion of the light, the worlds, the Partzufim, and the spiritual degrees are embedded within it. Everything is inside it.

In other words, this desire is a composite. Just as the human body is made up of various organs and parts, so too is this desire made up of many components.

Among the parts of the desire, some are more developed, some less. They also differ in their thickness, which we call Aviut. In addition, some parts are closer to reception by their nature and others are closer to bestowal. There are many such gradations. Thus, if we break this great desire into its constituent parts, each will reveal itself as unique in its details and ingredients.

Among these parts, there are those that are purer, less egoistic, and they awaken first toward the light because they are closer to it. These are our friends across the world. They possess a yearning for bestowal, for the light, for discovering the reason for their existence.

They seek freedom. And freedom from life in this world first reveals itself in the question: “What am I living for? What does this life give me? What is its benefit?”

This question arises from problems and suffering. But afterward, in trying to understand their cause, one begins to search for the essence of life itself. The suffering becomes secondary; after all, what can be done about it? The main thing now is to uncover the secret of existence.

This means that I have awakened and want to break free from the everyday routine and from the vain pursuit of egoistic fulfillment. I can no longer continue serving my desire to enjoy like a slave. To me, this is death. Day after day, I have to drag around my “donkey,” feed and water it until it dies. When it dies, I, its loyal servant, will die with it.

But those who begin to understand that this is not life, but death, those are the ones who move forward. If the donkey wants to eat, feed it. But let it carry you, not the other way around. During this life, as long as you feed your donkey, you have the opportunity to ride it to a higher purpose. If you are not dragging it on your shoulders, but riding on it, then you are a human being.

This is the first stage of liberation from the angel of death, from the endless concern with mere corporeal existence. If you care for it in order to find a solution, that is a different matter; that is already life. Because essentially, you are charting a course toward the source of life.
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From Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/8/11, Writings of Baal HaSulam “The Freedom”

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Hence, if we want to work only for the sake of the Creator and not for our own sake, it is hard work, since we must fight against the Kli that the Creator created.

From this work come all the lacks we learn about, such as the departure of the lights, the breaking of the vessels, Kedusha, Tuma’a, Sitra Achra [other side], and Klipot (Rabash, Article 26, “What Is “He Who Defiles Himself Is Defiled from Above” in the Work?”).

Question: It is said that work not for one’s own benefit is hard work because we must fight against the Kli created by the Creator.

What kind of work should we do so that the shattering happens not externally, especially now, during the period of “between the straits,” but rather between us in our inner work?

Answer: We simply need to persist in this and not be afraid to ask again and again from within our Kelim for connection, for adhesion, and so on. That is what we are already doing, only we need to be more active.
[346502]
From the 3^rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/22/2025, “The Ruin as an Opportunity for Correction”

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Question: There is a saying: “One who prays for one’s friend is answered first.”

If a person who prays for a friend sees that the friend receives but he himself does not, does that indicate some kind of flaw, or is it normal?

Answer: If a person sees that the friend is investing a lot of energy, participating in all the actions the group is doing, then he understands that this is the friend’s work. And the opposite is also true.

We must feel where we truly need to be.

Each of us and all of us together must be at the center of the desire for the Creator, when all our desires gather together, unite, and are directed toward Him. That is the most important thing.
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From the 3^rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/22/2025, “The Ruin as an Opportunity for Correction”

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